Latest news with #Lijo
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
How attack on Christian priests, nuns in Odisha feeds into a wider trend
On the evening of August 6, what began as a quiet return from a memorial service in rural Odisha turned into a violent ordeal that has once again brought the safety of India's religious minorities under Gangadhar village, under the Jaleswar parish in Balasore district, a mob of around 70 people allegedly surrounded and assaulted two Catholic priests, a catechist and two nuns. They had just attended a Requiem Mass and fellowship meal in a nearby Catholic home, but by 9 pm, on their way back, they were allegedly confronted, abused and physically attacked by a group that accused them of religious alleged assault unfolded in stages. Travelling ahead of the others on a motorcycle, the catechist was the first to be intercepted. He was allegedly dragged off his vehicle and beaten. The priests and nuns, following close behind, were stopped and manhandled. They were accused of forced conversions despite the intervention of villagers, who tried to explain that the visit had been solely for a memorial the nuns were eventually pulled to safety by village women, the priests and the catechist were left exposed to the mob's violence. Father Lijo, the parish priest of St Thomas' Church in Jaleswar, had his mobile phone forcibly taken and never returned. The catechist, identified as Durjyodhan, was subjected to a brutal beating. Witnesses later said many of those in the crowd were outsiders. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) reacted with deep anguish, condemning the attack as part of a 'disturbing pattern' of violence against Christians. The incident, the CBCI argued, was not an isolated eruption of bigotry but symptomatic of a broader climate of hostility that has been allowed to attack comes on the back of what happened on July 25. Two Catholic nuns from Kerala—Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate—were arrested by the railway police at Durg station in Chhattisgarh. They were booked for human trafficking and forced religious conversion, sparking nationwide outrage. The allegations were widely contested by church bodies and civil liberties arrests provoked a backlash. Religious platforms, such as the Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council, criticised the forced conversion charge as fabricated, citing alleged political motivations and violations of constitutional rights. Political leaders—from Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to Left MPs—condemned the arrests, framing them as emblematic of a growing pattern of targeting of minorities. The CBCI expressed alarm over the 'hostile climate' these arrests early August, a special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court in Bilaspur granted both nuns conditional bail, noting an absence of compelling evidence and emphasising the importance of due process. The conditions included a Rs 50,000 bond, surrendering of passports and travel Baselios Cleemis of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council welcomed the bail while urging the judiciary to continue a fair inquiry. Political leaders in Kerala pledged continued support for the nuns' legal battle, framing the arrests as yet another in a series of constitutionally unsettling the heart of the outrage lies the fact that such attacks are in direct violation of the constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, equality and human dignity. Yet they continue to recur with alarming the Odisha case, the CBCI's appeal to the state government for swift identification and prosecution of the perpetrators was unequivocal, but behind it is an unspoken scepticism born from experience: the knowledge that many previous calls for justice have gone is this persistence of impunity that troubles observers most. When similar acts in the past have been met with slow or ineffective responses, the message sent is not one of deterrence but of permissiveness. In such an environment, constitutional protections risk becoming little more than ceremonial declarations, recited in courtrooms and official speeches but absent in the CBCI, the commitment to defend the rights, dignity and safety of all citizens—especially Christians—remains firm. But ultimately, the responsibility to ensure that these rights are real and enforceable rests with the state. If those in power fail to move beyond perfunctory condemnations and intermittent action, the cycle of violence will continue. The assault near Gangadhar is a story of eroding protections, emboldened mobs and political inaction—something that should trouble the conscience of a nation built on the promise of equality before the to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
CBCI claims priest, nuns ‘attacked' in Balasore; cops say no such plaint
Bhubaneswar: Police have refuted allegations made by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) that a group of people had resorted to violence against some of its members in Balasore district on Aug 6. Police said there has been no such incident reported in the district even as CBCI, in a press statement on Friday, urged the state govt to take swift action to identify and prosecute those responsible for the alleged incident. According to reports cited by CBCI, Father Lijo, parish priest of St Thomas Church in Jaleswar, along with another priest, two nuns, and a catechist, was returning to the parish after conducting a requiem mass in a nearby village. The group was allegedly stopped, abused and manhandled in Basta area, with accusations of religious conversion levelled against them. The nuns were rescued by local women. CBCI further alleged that Lijo's mobile phone was forcibly taken and not returned, while the catechist, Durjyodhan, was brutally assaulted, and his motorcycle was damaged. The mob, consisting of around 70 people, were said to have included many outsiders. Responding to the allegations, sub-divisional police officer (Basta), Manas Deo said there was no complaint regarding any such incident, either of forced conversion or anyone trying to stop them. "We got to know that there was a death ritual. All those present belonged to one community. There were some heated arguments over something, but the matter did not come before the police," Deo said. CBCI urged authorities to uphold the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, ensuring that every citizen can live and practice their faith without fear. CBCI affirmed its commitment to closely monitor the situation and defend the rights, dignity and safety of all citizens, particularly the Christian community. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
News18
5 days ago
- News18
CBCI condemns attack on 2 Catholic priests in Odisha
Agency: New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) on Friday expressed 'deep anguish" and strongly condemned a recent mob attack on Catholic priests and a catechist in Jaleswar, Odisha. Asserting that the incident, which allegedly occurred in August, was not an isolated case, the CBCI claimed that it was part of a pattern of violence against Christian minorities, reflecting a growing climate of intolerance in the country. Citing reports, the CBCI mentioned that the attack occurred when Father Lijo, the parish priest of Saint Thomas Church, Jaleswar, was returning to the parish after celebrating a mass at a Catholic home in a nearby village. He was accompanied by another priest, two nuns, and a catechist. While the nuns were rescued by local women, the priests and the catechist were stopped, abused, manhandled, and falsely accused of religious conversion, they further alleged in a statement. 'Father Lijo's mobile phone was forcibly taken and never returned. The catechist, Durjyodhan, was brutally beaten, and his motorcycle was damaged. Many in the mob of around 70 people were outsiders," the CBCI said, calling it a 'blatant violation" of Constitutional rights and dignity of minorities. The Bishop's body urged the Odisha government to take 'swift and decisive action" to prosecute the perpetrators, and to ensure the protection of minority communities. 'We further urge the authorities to safeguard the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, so that every citizen may live and practice their faith without fear," the statement said. The CBCI added that it will continue to monitor the situation and will stand firm in its commitment to defend the rights, dignity, and safety of all citizens, especially the Christian community. PTI AO MPL MPL view comments First Published: August 08, 2025, 20:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Business Standard
07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Sigachi Industries board appoints Lijo Chacko as Deputy Group CEO
Sigachi Industries said that its board has approved the appointment of Lijo Stephen Chacko as deputy group chief executive officer (Dy. Group CEO) of the company with effect from 07 July 2025. Lijo Chacko is the chief executive officer Middle East & Africa at Sigachi Industries. He is a cross-sectoral leader with a rich background spanning defence, industrial manufacturing, and the development sector. With a proven record in building strategic partnerships, managing complex operations, and driving organizational transformation, Lijo brings a rare blend of experience and insight to the global leadership team at Sigachi. Lijo is a graduate of the Naval College of Engineering and a certified mountaineer from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. He is also an alumnus of Yale University, the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, the Institute of Development Studies, and the Robert Bosch Foundation. He is a fellow of the Institution of Engineers and a member of the Institute of Directors. Sigachi Industries is one of the leading manufacturers of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) in the domestic as well as the international market, supplying essential molecules for pharma excipients, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and food industries. The companys consolidated net profit tanked 11.8% to Rs 13.27 crore on a 23.1% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 128.20 crore in Q4 FY25 over Q4 FY24. The scrip shed 0.93% to currently trade at Rs 44.61 on the BSE.
New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
'Churuli' controversy: Lijo Jose Pellissery withdraws FB post against Joju George
KOCHI: Two days after filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery and actor Joju George entered into a spat over the release of 2021 movie 'Churuli,' Lijo on Saturday, withdrew his Facebook post that claimed that the actor received Rs 5,90,000 as remuneration for the role. The controversy was triggered by Joju's statement in TNIE's 'Express Dialogues' programme aired on Sunday. In the interview, Joju said he hadn't received any remuneration for the film and had conveyed his displeasure to the producers. Responding to this, the director wrote on Facebook that Joju had received an amount of Rs 5,90,000 for acting for three days. 'Dear Joju, this clarification is in light of the emotional distress caused to the producers, who are our friends. The film, certified 'A', has not yet been released in theatres. The language used was examined by a committee, and a High Court verdict exists. None of us recall misleading Joju during the shoot,' Lijo wrote on Facebook. Actor Joju, on Thursday, had demanded that the agreement signed before taking up the role in 'Churuli' be made public.
